Silkies Don't Mix

[Ashley McDaniel]

So... I have an established flock, which consists of 15 chickens. 2 Roosters, 13 hens. All between ages 1-2 years. They have established a pecking order and have managed to live in harmony. Their breeds consist of; Barred Rock, Ameracauna, Rhode Island Red, White Leghorn, and my little banty too, a Porcelain DE' Uccle. I'm a HUGE FAN and lover of the silkie breed. I rescued and rehomed a white silkie too who was born with deformed legs and cannot stand or walk properly. I kept him separate from the flock for 6 weeks. When I got him, his white feathers were dirty brown, he had been bullied and beat up all his life due to his genetic deformities. He was missing feathers, low posture, and had no confidence. I slowly but surely nursed him back to life. His feathers are snow white, soft and fuzzy, he holds his head up now and looks like a new roo! I knew the other roosters would kill him, for they would immediately see that he was the weaker bird, so I decided to only introduce him to my girls. It went great! They all love Romeo. Lol So, I decided to get more Silkies a few months ago. I bought 2 three month old buff Silkies and 2 one month old white Silkies, I was not able to sex them. It appears that the two older buff ones are definitely roosters, and the younger ones who are now 4 months old, I think are too and hence, but not sure. I'll take pics later to post to see if y'all could help me sex them. So, my questions are, will these 4 Silkies be able to live in harmony together? As of right now, they are all separated, 2 buff are together, 2 babies are together and Romeo is by himself. They are all housed separately from my original flock. Do you the younger roosters will hurt Romeo? My goal was to have a silkie flock that could peacefully live together, but I'm not so sure it's going to work out. Any advice, suggestions, experience, questions, etc. Are welcome and appreciated. Thanks so much!

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Try to introduce them using a dog crate so that they can see each other but can’t hurt each other. Also if your white silkie rooster has a physical disability I think you should build him his own coop with attached run or keep him in your house as a house chicken. Good luck. Also feel free to post pictures as us BYC folk love pictures

 

[Ashley McDaniel]

Yes, I'll post pics this afternoon! Of the 2 chicks, the bigger one is losing all her buff feathers and majority of her new feathers are white, I'm really hoping she's a girl! The smaller chick is still pretty buff, I believe he will stay buff in color, and I think he's a roo, because he looks identical to the older two buff roosters. It would just be my luck to get four Silkies and they all turn out to be males lol I have been keeping the baby chicks in a large dog crate, with bedding and a perch, and have been letting the two bigger ones come check them out. My buff Silkies do free range with the flock, and they have learned to stay away from the dominant birds. I was concerned about keeping Romeo alone at first, but i swear he's doing way better alone, than he does with the flock. And my husband hates it, but he lives in our sun room. Hopefully when the chicks get a little older I'll be able to house the 4 of them together. Thanks so much.

 

[WVduckchick]

You just never know until you try! Some do well with others, some don't. But I wish you the best of luck and will look forward to pics. Great job rescuing and nursing Romeo back!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, hope you are enjoying BYC!

My Silkies do roam with each other and and my other large fowl. I keep a stag pen that contains extra cockerel and rooster including my Silkies and Marans. As stated all will be individual. Here, anybody who can't get with the program goes off to freezer camp... including Silkies.

By 3 months, I could have told you they were boys. Wonder if those people could too?

My biggest suggestion is that if you're going to keep getting birds from someone else, that you start implementing a quarantine process if you don't already. Birds can have illness they haven't presented with. And sounds like you might not be ready to lose your whole flock.

My head Marans rooster does allow other juvenile boys in with him and no issues. I haven't tried adding a full grown rooster and see how he does with a stranger. There are some scuffles in my boy pen as would be anyone who has to live together long term. But nothing too out of control. They've got a large coop and pasture with plenty of space to get away and visual barriers. It helps, but I do sometimes have to lay down the law. I allow scuffles. I will start with a time out for an aggressor who is relentless, in order to give them a chance to cool their jets and see if they can choose to tolerate each other if not actually get along. Note that sometimes the Silkies ARE the aggressors. Mine all have very big personalities despite their size.

One of my young boys was getting picked on a little too much for my liking, impacting his confidence. I put with the ladies for a while and then back to the stag pen. He is still low man on the totem pole, but like you say... he holds his head higher now, puffs out his chest, and even crows some.

Glad your boy seems to be recovering well! It's too bad that people often let birds with deformities "live out their natural life" but don't make accommodations to make it a good life. Dying slowly isn't living.

Can't say for sure what I would do... but I MIGHT try introducing the younger birds to Romeo. He can be top dog when they are young and maybe have them in their place before they ever think to challenge him and they MIGHT live happily ever after. Even my Silkie ladies are quite dominant and not the lowest in my pecking order.

Like said, you never really know until you try. If it doesn't work, switch it up. And good luck!

 

[lazy gardener]

Can't say for sure what I would do... but I MIGHT try introducing the younger birds to Romeo. He can be top dog when they are young and maybe have them in their place before they ever think to challenge him and they MIGHT live happily ever after.

This would be your best bet to have this cockerel find his way into a flock. However, with his deformities, he may never fit in. And you should never let him play in the gene pool.

 

[Ashley McDaniel]

Hey everyone, thanks so much for all the great advice. Just wanted to give you an update. Sadly, this morning I had to have Romeo put down. I'm devastated. It seemed as though he had finally turned a corner, then on Christmas Eve, I went out to check on him, I noticed that he hadn't touched his food and water, he normally drinks ALOT of water, so it concerned me a little. But what really concerned me was when he tried to get up and couldn't. He just kept flapping his wings and flopping like a fish out of water! It was pitiful to watch. I moved him closer to his food and water and continued to check on him but he was only getting worse. He could no longer walk or even stand up. I couldn't bare to see him suffer any longer. #ChickenLossIsNotEasyWhenTheyArePets

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hey everyone, thanks so much for all the great advice. Just wanted to give you an update. Sadly, this morning I had to have Romeo put down. I'm devastated. It seemed as though he had finally turned a corner, then on Christmas Eve, I went out to check on him, I noticed that he hadn't touched his food and water, he normally drinks ALOT of water, so it concerned me a little. But what really concerned me was when he tried to get up and couldn't. He just kept flapping his wings and flopping like a fish out of water! It was pitiful to watch. I moved him closer to his food and water and continued to check on him but he was only getting worse. He could no longer walk or even stand up. I couldn't bare to see him suffer any longer. #ChickenLossIsNotEasyWhenTheyArePets

Wow, I didn't even know Romeo was ill. Sorry for your loss.

Sounds like Marek's. And to be honest early culling is my choice too. Hate that you had to do it for Christmas, as if it isn't already hard enough.

Hope your other birds are well!

 

[WVduckchick]

Hey everyone, thanks so much for all the great advice. Just wanted to give you an update. Sadly, this morning I had to have Romeo put down. I'm devastated. It seemed as though he had finally turned a corner, then on Christmas Eve, I went out to check on him, I noticed that he hadn't touched his food and water, he normally drinks ALOT of water, so it concerned me a little. But what really concerned me was when he tried to get up and couldn't. He just kept flapping his wings and flopping like a fish out of water! It was pitiful to watch. I moved him closer to his food and water and continued to check on him but he was only getting worse. He could no longer walk or even stand up. I couldn't bare to see him suffer any longer. #ChickenLossIsNotEasyWhenTheyArePets

Sorry for your loss. Worst part of owning chickens.

 

[Isabella Huston]

Last night I went to check on our older chicks after we put them in there new pen and noticed one chick was laying down dead after a snake had tried to eat her but failed to fit her in it’s mouth! So sad as it was a beautiful white silkie and was going to be the one chick who stays with the flock. We brought the other four chicks inside to sleep in an old guinea pig cage in our laundry. Made a grave for the chick “Pom Pom” this morning.

Sorry for the loss of your little Romeo